Less MPs, revamp of parliament targeted by CIP

Political reform, national shipping line, increased welfare benefits among CIP promises as election strategy revealed.
At its conference at the Mitiaro Hostel on Thursday 31 August 2006, the Cook Islands Party (CIP) revealed details of its campaign strategy for the general election on 26th September 2006.
The details are set out in a short document in both English and Maori, the English version being just eight pages long.
The campaign has three main thrusts; solidness of our team, relevance of our directions and optimizing our opportunities.
Policy directions and developments which will take effect over a period, fall under the “five pillars” first articulated by the CIP during its 2004 campaign. They are; Growth with dignity, Growth with responsibility, Equal social benefits, Environment for life and (Infra) Structures that support.
What do the CIP plan to do under each of these “pillars” if it becomes government for the next four years?
Under Governance with dignity, it will immediately introduce anti- party hopping legislation once the budget is passed. Also it will confirm the number of sitting days in parliament as 120 days. In the medium period, the plan is to review the Electoral Act in terms of public servants resigning to run in elections, review the role of island MPs in the affairs and management of island affairs and reduce the number of seats in parliament from 24 to 21 by 2010. Ongoing support will be provided for PERAC, Audit and the Parliamentary Expenditure Committee.
Under Growth with responsibility, it will immediately tackle the depopulation issue and finalise the National Development Plan. In the medium term it will ensure progress with the new Commerce Commission and nationalize our shipping lines to better service the outer islands. Ongoing plans are to develop an on-line job search facility to help people into jobs nationally and internationally. It will also revamp the Small Business agency to to better assist in helping create more small businesses.
Under Equal social benefits, it will immediately look into increasing benefit rates for the elderly and children. Over three years it plans to increase the elderly benefit by $50 a year and for child benefits increase these over three years by $10 to $20 a year. More money will be put into schools. Health services will be reviewed. Provide six weeks maternal leave and up to two weeks paternal leave. Host a youth parliament in 2007.Ongoing, the CIP will address social issues affecting national growth.
Under Environment for life, CIP plan to immediately provide serious support for the protection and management of the environment and also the celebration, preservation and recording of our culture. Ongoing support will be given to environment protection programmes and international conventions and programmes.
Under (Infra) Structures that support, the CIP plans to immediately set up maintenance programmes for all essential infrastructure. Ongoing support will be given to finalizing the National Master Infrastructure Plan.
While no details are set out at this stage as to what the various policy initiatives will cost, some costs are set out for initiatives planned for the outer islands. See separate article.

- Charles Pitt

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